A navigation system performs travel guidance, enabling a user to easily and quickly reach the selected destination. A typical example of a vehicle navigation system is a vehicle equipped with a navigation function that guides a driver to a destination through a calculated route. Such a navigation system detects the position of the user's vehicle, and reads out map data pertaining to an area at the current vehicle position from a data storage medium, for example, a DVD (digital versatile disc), or a hard disk drive. Typically, the navigation system displays a map image on a monitor screen while superimposing thereon a mark representing the current location of the user's vehicle and an image of a road on which the vehicle is running.
FIGS. 1A-1H show an example of the overall procedure and screen display involved in the navigation system for route guidance to a destination. FIG. 1A shows an example of a map screen of the navigation system when the destination is not specified. Typically, the navigation system displays a street on which the vehicle (current vehicle position VP) is running on a map image and a name of the street. Other information such as a north pointer NP, a map scale and a current time may also be illustrated on the display screen.
When a user selects a destination menu, the navigation system displays a “Find Destination by” screen as shown in FIG. 1B for specifying an input method for selecting the destination. When selecting the “Favorites” method in FIG. 1B, the navigation system displays selection methods of favorite places either by “Place Name” or “Place Type” in FIG. 1C. The “Favorites” method is to select a favorite place to visit based on a list of favorite places that have been established in the navigation system by the user. If the “Place Type” is selected, the navigation system lists categories of favorite places as shown in FIG. 1D.
FIG. 1E shows the screen that is displayed when the user has selected a “Restaurant” category in FIG. 1D, which includes a list of restaurants typically sorted by distance from the current position. The user selects a desired destination, as shown in FIG. 1F and presses an “OK to Proceed” button for the navigation system to calculate an appropriate route to the destination. FIG. 1G shows an example of a screen when the navigation system calculates and determines the route to the destination. Then, the navigation system starts the route guidance to the destination as shown in FIG. 1H.
In the application of the navigation system noted above, a user may select a destination from a set of data that the user has established as favorite places such as restaurants, shops, parks, etc. Such favorite locations or places are typically located relatively close to the user's home address since the user tends to visit these locations on a regular basis. Thus, the navigation system typically allows the user to accumulate information on such favorite places in a specific area of database and also accepts the information on the user's home address.
The home address is typically an address of the user's home, but can be his/her office address or other address that is of importance to the user. By pressing the home address for a route guidance operation by the navigation system, the user is able to return to his/her home or office, etc., easily and quickly. In many cases, such favorite places are represented as POIs (points of interest), information of which is available from the map database of the navigation system.
When the user has changed the home address, however, the user has to input new favorite places close to the new home address, which can be cumbersome. For example, if a user in the Los Angeles area is relocated to San Diego, he/she has to change the addresses of the favorite places, such as banks, chain stores, etc., in the Los Angeles area to that of San Diego area, which needs substantial time and efforts. Thus, there is a need that the navigation system incorporates a new function that facilitates the updating procedure of favorite places when the user's home address has changed.